Cord-adjuster for electric lights.



P. L. PRITGHETT.

CORD ADJ USTER FOR lELECTRIC? LIGHTS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.11. 1913.

1,079,720. Pateted Nov. 25, 1913.

romana L. PRITCHETT, or FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

CORD-ADJUSTER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov, 25, i913.

Application filed February 11, 1913. 'Serial No. 747,754.

To all whom z'z may concern ing is a specification.

and winding up the wires which connect an electric light globe with thesource of power, and to provide a cord long enough to eX-tend to anyreasonable length so that the electric light may be placed at di'erentparts of the room or office.

Other objects and advantages will befully explained in the followingdescription, and

the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisappli-1 cation.

Figure 1 illustrates an electric light sus pended, and shows the hoodwhich connects the cord to the ceiling. Fig. 2 is a section of theinclosing hood, and a section of the guide socket in the hood, and anelevation of the fixtures for winding the cord. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the circular plate which incloses the operating spring.Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the winding spool. Fig. 5 is adetail view of one of the hangers and journal bearing for the spoolshaft, showing also two views of a contact making spring. Fig. 6 is aside elevation..` and an edge view, respectively, of a circular platewhich forms a journal bearing for one of the stub shafts of the spool.Fig. `7 isn a detail View of the guide socket mounted in the lower endof the inclosing hood.;- Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view ofthe barvenient manner. Bearing arms 6 and 7 for' g tions of bearing arms 6V andy7.

This invention relates to cord adjusters for electric lights, and theobject is to pro-pv Vide a simple mechanism for letting out the windingspool 8 are attached tothe bar Be it known that I, PoNDnR L. PRITCHETn acitizen of the United States, residing Fort Worth, in the county ofTarrant andi State of Texas, have `invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cord-Adjust,` ers for Electric Lights, of which thefollow- 2 by means of screws 9 `which are insulated from the bar 2 by.the insulation bar 10 on top of the bar 2, and the insulation bar 11 onthe bottom of the bar-2, and by perforated plugs of insulation 12 ,whichare inserted in ,the bar y2 .and the horizontal .por-

Electrical connection is made with thelhangers 6 and 7, or bearing arms6 and 7 by means `of binding posts 13 which are extended throughinsulation bars 10 and 11 and the `bearing 2, and screwed into thehorizontal portions ofthe hangers 6 and 7. The binding posts 13 areinsulated from the bar 2 by perforated plugs -14 of insulation. Vires 15and 16 are connectedto thebinding posts 13 which completes theconnection Vfrom the wires to the hangers6 and 7. The .spool 8 ispreferably made `of wood. Thecircular plate 17 is attached to one end ofthe yspool tolto-rm .a journalbearing. A stub shaft 18 Vsecured to theplate 17, is journaled in the hanger 7.

Tn order to makethe electrical connection between hanger 7 and the stubshaft 18 certain, aspring 19 may be attached tothe hanger '7 to bearagainst the rend of .shaft 18. On the other side of the spool 8 acircular box 20is carried sunk in the spool, and a circular plate 21which is attached to the spool forms ,a cover for the boX 20. A stubshaft 22 is provided for that end of the spool `8 andis journaled in thebox 20 and the circular plate 21 and Xedly secured in the lhanger 16.This makes Vthe electrical connection from the wire 15 through the stubshaft V22. A11-operating spring 23 i-s attached 'to the stubshaft 22andtothe boX 20, as shown in Fig. 4. This .spring ,controls the windingand Vthe `un- `winding of the cord 24. The electrical connection iscompleted by connecting the wires 25 and 26 which are inclosed in thecord 24 to the stub shafts 22 and 18 respectively, by binding screws 27.The cord 24 enters through a perforation 28 in the side of the spool sothat the wires 25 and 26 may be connected to the stub shafts 22 and 18.Gravity dogs 29 are pivotally mounted on the plate 21 and adapted toengage a collar 3() which is rigid with the stub shaft 22, the collar 30having recesses to be engaged by the dogs 29 as shown in Fig. 3. A guidesocket 31 is mounted in the lower part of the hood 1 to form a bearingfor ing on the cord. The gravity dog 29 will hold the cord at anyposition it may be stopped. When the cord 24 is to be rewound on thespool 8, a slight pull on the cord 24 will release the dogs 29 so thatthe spring 23 niay re-wind the cord on spool 8.

What l claim, is, l. A cord adjuster for electric lights having asuspending bar, hangers connected tosaid bar and insulated therefrom,stubshafts supported in said hangers, a spool of non-conducting materialmounted on said stub shafts, aspring box countersunk in one end of saidspool and rigid therewith, a winding spring attached to said box and tothe stub shaft, binding posts mounted in said bar and insulatedtherefrom and electrically connected with said hangers, current wiresconnected to said binding posts, a cord entering the side of said spooland extending within the spool, and curent wires carried by said cord tobe connected to an electric lamp, means for holding the lainp inadjustable position, one wire being connected to the stub shaft in oneend of the spool, and the other Wire being connected to the stub shaftin the other end of said spool.

2. A cord adjuster for electric lights co1n prising a suspending bar,hangers connected to said bar and insulated therefrom, stubshafts, onebeing mounted rigidly in one hanger and the other journaled in the otherhanger, and electrically connected therewith, a hollow spool ofnon-conducting material having a bearing plate countersunk in one end toform a bearing to engage one of said shafts and a spring box countersunkin the other end to form a bearing to engage the other shaft, a springfor winding said spool having one end attached to said box and the otherend attached to the adjacent stub shaft, binding posts mounted in saidbar and electrically connected to said hangers, current wires connectedto said binding posts, a coid entering the side of said spool, wirescarried by said cord and electrically and operatively connected to saidstub shafts, and to be connected to an electric lamp, means for holdingthe lamp in adjusted position, a hood for said spool attached to saidbar, and a guide socket of insulating material forming the outlet ofsaid cord from said hood.

3. A cord adjuster and fixtures therefor comprising a suspending bar,means for connecting said bar to a suitable support, hangers attached tosaid bar and insulated therefrom, stub-shafts supported in said hangersand electrically connected therewith, a spring attached to one of saidhangers and bearing against the adjacent stub-shaft, a hollow spoolhaving a bearing plate countersunk in one end for engaging one of saidshafts, a spring box countersunk in the other end of said spool andforming a bearing to engage the other stubshaft, a spring for windingsaid spool having one end attached to said box and the other endattached to the adjacent stub-shaft, binding posts mounted in said barand insulated therefrom and electrically connected with said hangers, acord entering said spool through the side thereof and wires forconnecting with an electric lamp carried by said cord and operativelyconnected to the ends of said stub-shafts, a hood for inclosing saidspool and hangers attached to said bar, and a guide of insulatingmaterial mounted in said hood and forming the outlet for said cord.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses,this 8th day of February, 1913.

PONDER L. PRITCHETT.

Witnesses:

A. L. JACKSON, J. W. S'irr'r.

Copies Vof this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

